Shifting Shadows: A Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness Sequel
by TheShinySpinda
Summary: Three years after Cipher was once again thwarted by Michael, a young man begins his journey through Orre, now seeing more signs of wild Pokemon. However, his journey is put into jeopardy as signs of the existence of Cipher begin to emerge. Together with his two companions, and his Pokemon, Hakins will begin his quest to uproot Cipher once and for all.
1. Chapter 1: The Cable Snaps

This story takes place in the Orre Region, 3 years after the events in Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness. Cipher is believed to have been completely destroyed and the entire region is beginning to see more signs of wild Pokemon. The releases of these are going to be sporadic, but I will try my best to not let a ludicrous amount of time pass between chapters

 **Disclaimer: I've seen these too. I do not own Pokemon; my story is merely basing itself off of a game that I loved growing up (and still do to this day)**

 **If you have any suggestions, opinions, or anything else, I would really love you to PM me about it or submit a review!**

Chapter 1: The Cable Snaps

I awoke to my alarm buzzing on my phone. Still face-down in my bed, I blindly ran my hand across my nightstand. After a couple of seconds, I found my phone, and pressed the power button a couple of times. By now, I mustered the energy to flip onto my back and stared at the ceiling fan spinning above me.

A small amount of light shone through my window, as it was still early morning. It was an early morning ritual for me, to look at the ceiling fan and realize how completely unenthusiastic I was about having to do Battle SIMs again. It's not that they were particularly difficult or anything, but the Pokemon that battled in them felt very artificial. Right when I would feel more immersed in the battle and try to encourage the Pokemon that I was using, I'd feel stupid as the "Pokemon" would not respond in any way. It would eventually end up the same way, too; my lack of motivation would lead to me losing the battle, and I would have to convince the instructor that I "wasn't ready for something this challenging".

It worked well at first, but backfired later when my parents heard about how terribly I was doing in practices. As a result I had to wake up extra early to log in more training time. I wanted to be direct with the instructor, and tell him that the Battle SIMs sucked, but it was pretty much the closest thing to Pokemon that I could get on the island. After over two years of simulation training, and a month with private lessons, I had made a pitiful amount of progress.

After about five minutes of looking up at the fan, I got out of bed. Checking the time on my phone revealed that it was 5:45 AM. I walked over to my dresser and changed into the usual. Tan shorts that went down to the knees, a simple black T-shirt, and a grey and black long sleeve shirt over it. Stepping over to the right of the dresser, I looked at myself in the mirror; my black hair was disheveled, spiking in every which direction as it always did, the lighting was nicer this morning too, as my hazel eyes shined back at me through my reflection. Satisfied with how I looked, I threw some black sneakers on and quietly made my way to the front door (I had no interest in eating breakfast and my parents were still asleep). I grabbed my bag on the way out, making sure to fill it with random things to snack on later.

After closing the door behind me, I chucked courtesy out the window and broke into a sprint as I made my way towards the simulation building. I figured that running a bit would make the whole day seem less depressing than it was going to be.

Keeping a jogging pace to account for my lackluster stamina, I arrived at the Battle SIM building just after 6AM. To make sure that I would be getting the best education in battles, my parents went the extra mile and paid for private lessons with a middle-aged man by the name of Salvator. He wore the standard Battle SIM outfit, consisting of a blue jacket and brown cargo pants, except that he earned the right to wear a brown duster (I had no idea why these facilities had to have such ugly fashion trends). His face was a tad wrinkled, but the extreme handlebar mustache -which extended to the sides of his face just below the ears- and slicked back hair

seemed to be a poor attempt at making him appear younger. Instead, he ended up looking like a rejected Yugioh villain.

I entered the simulation center. Given the early hour at which I was scheduled, the main lobby was devoid of people, except Janice (the attendant lady), who was busy getting the routine morning emails out of the way. I waved to her as I passed by.

"Same room as always, I assume?" I asked  
The older woman smiled.  
"You have a funny way of making small talk with me, sweetie." she replied. "But yes, he's

in Room 4 as always. Try and at least pretend to be excited this time. Salvator tells me he worked especially hard on these ones."

The parting comment makes me nervous, but I have learned at this point that the most important thing right now is keeping my spirits high. If they deflate this early, they I would surely disappoint.

I was forced to stare right at him when I reached the appropriate simulation room. He looked at me with his small eyes (too bad he couldn't fit glasses over the massive moustache) and then looked away again...just the usual.

"I...I...I'm sorry...w-whatever it is..." I told him, although through the heavy breathing and my head down with my hands on my knees, it came out like panting

Salvator took another long sigh and ran his fingers through his inhuman moustache. This was a telltale sign that a lecture was coming my way.

"Attendance is not the issue, Hakins," he began. "Almost a month of my career has been wasted."

And that was just the usual. The simulations were conducted by sitting down in a chair very similar to the reclining ones at the dentist. A headset was attached to the front of the seat, and all I had to do was put it on and take a deep breath. The rest of the morning was occupied by the three battle SIMs that Salvator had set up for me. After each one ended in complete failure time and time again, I could see that something was on Salvator's mind. After failing over a dozen times, I couldn't take the silence.

"Salvator. If you have something terrible to say to me, please say it. It's not helping my focus in these tests when I can feel you glaring at me. Lay it on me!" I replied, wanting to get the SIMs over with as soon as possible.

Salvator tapped his fingers lightly against his chin for a moment, and then suddenly turned to face me. This sudden movement made me step back a bit. This was unusual behavior, even for Salvator: something was definitely different this time.

"Tell me, why do arrive on time for these lessons?" he asked  
"I heard that correctly, right?" I replied, completely taken aback by the question.  
"I can guarantee that you heard the question in its entirety." he assured me  
"Okay, um..." It was hard to me to respond with the massive moustache man towering

well over half a foot over me. After a deep breath, I continued.  
"Well, I do it because I'm supposed to, and so that I don't waste your time and be rude in

the process." I replied. Salvator turned away from me again, and started pacing around the large SIM room.

"So, when you come here on time every day and make me arrange a simulation specifically catered to your skills, or to be frank lack thereof, and fail time and time again..." Salvator took a moment to rub his eyes, and at this point I was standing up and seized the opportunity to respond

"Sir, I try my hardest, I really do! But it's just that-"

"No Hakins, you don't try at all!" his response was loud enough to make me stop what I was saying.

"Look, I am not blind. I've observed you during the simulations, and I have reached two very different conclusions. Either you are incapable of commanding a Pokemon in battle due to your lack of concentration and quickness to concede," After saying this, he raised one hand up and made a thumbs down, and continued pacing.

"The other conclusion is that you possess a powerful fighting spirit as a Pokemon trainer, and your desire to bond with Pokemon comes with a genuine care for their well being and emotions." At saying this, he made a thumbs-up with his other free arm.

I was seriously debating what to say next. If I told him the truth, that I wanted to bond with Pokemon and saw no use to the classes, then he would surely let my parents know, and I would be unable to convince them that I was ready to be a Pokemon trainer. If I lied, then I would be stuck in beginner's classes for another year and lose the small amount of faith that Salvator still had in me. Choosing my words carefully, I spoke.

"Sir, I want to become closer with Pokemon. I want to explore Orre and befriend wild Pokemon and the people that are also in search of them. It's just that-" I could already feel myself getting emotional.

Salvator stopped pacing and brought two chairs over, motioning for me to sit down in one of them. I gladly sat down, so that I was now directly across from the instructor. We sat there in silence for a few moments.

"Hakins, we are on the verge of actually making progress." Salvator said, clenching his fists and breaking the silence. "Normally, I would encourage my students to only share what they were comfortable with, but please do not let a chair stop this breakthrough. Or would you rather not become what you are telling me you want to?"

"Okay...alright," I replied, taking a deep breath.

I had never shared these thoughts out loud before, and the idea of saying what I was about to say to a man who had spent his life involved in Simulation Battling was nerve wracking. Still, it was now or never.

"It's just that I cannot see the value of these Battle Simulations. I know that you strongly disagree with that statement, but please do not interrupt." Salvator only nodded in response.

"These simulations," I continued. "Although perfectly recreating what I think two Pokemon battling would be like, don't do a full battle justice. When my father used to tell me about his experiences as a Pokemon trainer, he would always stress that a bond between people and Pokemon can be strong enough to defy odds and disprove what is normally certain. I believe that encouragement is just as important as strength, and that Pokemon should not be treated like...like..."

"Tools for battle," Salvator added, once again running his right hand along his moustache.

I nodded, glad that my point was making sense to the SIM Master.  
"Yeah...I just think that there is so much more to the world of Pokemon than battling." Salvator looked away for a moment, and then stood up from his chair.  
"Hakins, I believe that simulations will not be of use to you in your journey to understand

Pokemon. Therefore, I am to assume that you are a person of action." Salvator said, walking over to one of the file cabinets that existed in the room.

From it, he pulled out two round balls, making sure to blow the dust off of them. He made his way back over to me, and tossed one of the balls at me. I caught it, and took a look.

"Salvator? Is this..." I trailed off, ready to be stunned if my guess was correct. The Pokemon in the simulations were already out and ready to battle, so I had never seen one up close before.

"Yes, Hakins," Salvator said, cracking a small smile. "These are Poke Balls, with Pokemon contained within. You and I are having a Pokemon Battle; no simulations and no more excuses."


	2. Chapter 2: The Flame Ignites

I couldn't believe it. Even as we made our way to one of the island's many empty dirt lots, I kept snapping my fingers, thinking that I would just wake up and stare at my ceiling fan again. There were a lot of open spaces like these on Citadark. In a decade's time, Orre hoped for Citadark to become a luxury housing area, with incentive to live there being the sheer distance away from the mainland that it lay.

We walked for about fifteen minutes, with Salvator trying to find the perfect empty lot. His tiny black eyes squinted, as he seemed to be doing mental simulations of his own to find the optimal battlefield. Eventually, he settled on a dirt lot with two under-construction houses on either side. The foreman there gave the all-clear, but asked that the workers be able to watch the battle. Salvator happily agreed, but my nerves weren't having any of it. Just that morning I was ready to be strapped into a computer and fail a few simulations; this was a lot different.

The workers drew lines of a normal battlefield in the dirt, and gathered around the large lot. This particular group of houses overlooked the ocean, and with the blazing afternoon sun and shot up nerves, I was building up a sweat before the battle even started. I had never been in a Pokemon battle prior to this, so I only had the words of my dad and the simulations to work off of. In an effort to calm myself down, I thought about the things that Dad told me about Pokemon battles.

" _Well Son, in a Pokemon battle each trainer sends out one or more of their Pokemon. When the referee declares the battle to begin, you engage your opponent until either one or all of one person's Pokemon are unable to continue. Then a winner is decided."_

Even though I was discouraged about having ever forgotten those details in the first place, they were the things that I could latch onto as I stood in my position. It felt like I could close my eyes, and still be conscious of where every worker was staring at me from. I kept quiet, putting my hands in my pockets so that people couldn't see that they were shaking.

The head foreman stood at the edge of the arena, between me and Salvator. I assumed that he was going to be the referee. Looking at the opponent for my first ever battle, I saw an unusual amount of enthusiasm from Salvator.

"Well Hakins, it is time for a real lesson in the world of Pokemon!" Salvator exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. This caused the surrounding workers to holler and pound their fists against the walls of the houses. When Salvator saw how nervous I looked, his expression softened a bit.

"Hakins, being nervous is natural. But for the sake of the Pokemon which you wield now, your commands must be confident. The Pokemon within that ball is one that will help me know just how well you paid attention in last week's Normal-type simulations…"

The SIM master smirked.

"...Before you gave up, that is."

At saying this, a heavily bearded foreman loudly voiced an _Ooooh_ , causing his friend next to him to slug him in the arm. This caused an uproar of workers demanding that the battle start. The strangers cheered me on, and it was their voices that gave me the confidence to look Salvator directly in the eyes.

"Sir, I didn't give up. I was just waiting for a moment like this. Foreman, sir, let's get this show on the road."

The awkwardness of saying that quickly vanished when the bearded foreman shouted,

"I like the way this kid thinks. Start things up Don!"

After Don managed to hush the crowd, he spoke.

"Trainers," he said, gesturing at us, "and ladies," he said, pointing at all of his workers.

A brief spurt of laughter shook the crowd.

"This will be a 1 on 1 Pokemon Battle! The battle will be over when one trainer's Pokemon is unable to continue. Trainers! Now, go to the center of the battlefield and shake hands!"

As I made my way over to Salvator, my adrenaline was pumping and excitement surged through my veins. In my eagerness I shook his hand a little too hard, but when I looked at Salvator crack a grin, that handshake was a thing of the past. We made our way back to our respective sides. Don continued:

"Trainers! Please bring out your Pokemon!" he yelled.

As I wasted time wondering which Pokemon I was holding, Salvator was already prepared.

"Of course Don! Girafarig, let's GO!" Salvator underhanded the Poke Ball and out came Girafarig, looking ready to battle.

Not wanting to delay the battle any longer, I gripped the Poke Ball in my hands. I was pretty good at throwing things, so a Poke Ball was no different.

"Alright, let's go Pokemon!" I yelled awkwardly, throwing the Ball. From the ball, a Kecleon emerged, also looking like it was raring to go.

"You've battled with this Pokemon in simulations before!" Salvator yelled. "Let's just hope that you remember some of its moves."

"No more chit-chat," Don said. "Battle begin!"

 **(Play Rider Willie Theme from XD Gale of Darkness)**

"The first move is mine!" yelled Salvator. "Girafarig, use Tackle!"

At saying this, his Pokemon began charging towards Kecleon at full speed. I panicked for a moment.

"Kecleon dodge-" I was too slow.

Girafarig hit my Pokemon head-on, causing Kecleon to lose its balance and tumble back towards me.

"Kecleon! No!" I had just looked at it, forgetting that I was in the middle of a battle.

"If you will not make a move, then I will have to! Girafarig! Zen Headbutt now!" Salvator commanded, and once again Girafarig charged straight towards Kecleon.

"Kecleon, please get up!" I shouted.

Hearing my calls, the chameleon Pokemon sprung up.

"Alright, Kecleon, dodge that!" I said more confidently.

Kecleon blended in with the ground a bit and snaked to the side, causing Girafarig to lose its balance and tumble in the dirt. This maneuver got the group of workers riled up, and the bearded man's friends were struggling to hold him back from running into the arena.

Salvator straightened out his duster. "Well well well! That was good Hakins! But in battle, Pokemon must use their moves. Girafarig! Use-"

"Alright! Use Camouflage to protect yourself" I interrupted. Kecleon immediately disappeared into the ground.

"Not good enough!" Salvator replied. "Now use Odor Sleuth!"

Girafarig closed its eyes and lowered its head. I was utterly baffled by Salvator's tactic.

"Kecleon? Can you use Double Team?" I asked.

My question was quickly answered, as small apparition-like shapes began duplicating and darting all across the battlefield. Workers in the crowd were startled by the snake-like figures, and the bearded worker screamed and fell backwards.

My confidence was through the roof! Not only was Kecleon unable to be seen, but with Double Team used, it would be almost impossible for Girafarig to land an attack. Soon, the battle would-

"I think that it's time to wrap this up, Hakins!" Salvator announced, snapping me from my thoughts. "Girafarig, Zen Headbutt, full power!"

The ferocity of his command completely threw me off guard. I had no idea why he would do that. There was no chance of his Pokemon landing that. Then it happened.

"Gir-Afa-RIG!"

Girafarig then threw an extremely powerful Zen Headbutt at one of the dozens of shifting copies of Kecleon. The result was a massive shockwave that sent the dirt of the lot into a storm, blinding everybody including me.

"Kecleon!" I yelled through the thick dirt cloud.

Eventually the dust settled, and Kecleon was on its back in a small crater that was once a flat lot.

"Kecleon is unable to continue!" Don yelled out. "Girafarig wins, which means that the match goes to Salvator!"

There were hoots and hollers all around, but the only thing that I could think of was how utterly I failed. The loss itself wasn't something that I really cared too much about; the well-being of Kecleon was far more important to me. I rushed over to the crater and held Kecleon in my arms.

"Kecleon? Kecleon, are you okay?" I asked, feeling guilty over what had happened.

"Kec-leon," the Pokemon responded, trying to assure me that it was fine.

"That was quite a battle, Hakins." I turned to see Salvator and Girafarig behind me. Girafarig was enjoying a scratching under the chin that the Simulation Expert was giving it.

"You did great Girafarig." Salvator said warmly. "Now return." With a click on the Poke Ball, the victorious Pokemon was sent back in a red flash. With that being taken care of, Salvator crouched by me.

"Will Kecleon be alright?" I asked, genuinely concerned for its condition.

"He will be fine," Salvator assured me, "It would help if you returned Kecleon to its Poke Ball to heal. That is what is best for him."

"Sounds good," I said. "Alright Kecleon, thanks for everything. Please try to rest now."

After saying that, I clicked the button on the back of the Ball, and Kecleon was returned just like Girafarig. Don and the workers approached us shortly after, giving me pats on the back and congratulating me on a fiery first battle. I didn't feel that way though.

"Salvator, I'll go back to doing simulations now."

"Hakins," Salvator replied. "I don't think you quite understand, so let me explain."

He turned to the workers, who were tightly huddled around them.

"You can hear what I have to say too, but give us some breathing room, for crying out loud!"

"You heard 'em boys!" Don said loudly. "Back it up!"

The workers took a few steps back, and then sat down in the dirt, clearly interested in what Salvator had to say.

"Alright, now that I can breathe..." Salvator took a breath, and then his gaze fixed thoroughly back onto me.

"When I first met you, Hakins, your passion for Pokemon was up front and center, and I was surprised that you might actually need private lessons. And then when your simulations went so horribly, I was quite confused. It seemed to be an impossible contradiction."

At saying this, he tapped one of his index fingers against his forehead.

"To be entirely honest, I had no idea what I was going to do about it. The simulations that I set up did not work at all because of how quickly you gave up. In order to understand it, I had to give you the day off so that I could examine ALL of your previous simulation footage. You remember the unusual call, right?" I nodded.

It was just another morning of looking at the fan when Mom knocked on the door, and said that I wouldn't have to go to simulation training that day. At first I assumed that I had gotten in trouble for something that I wasn't aware of, but then I realized that it had to be of some importance in order to make Mom wake up that early. With the realization that I wouldn't have to go fail another simulation, I gladly played Assassin's Creed and just relaxed the day away.

"After lengthy examination I had my suspicions," Salvator continued. "This was a means of making sure that I knew what was amiss. Let me say that I am glad that you proved that my faith in you was well placed. Now, let's talk about our battle. How do you think it went, Hakins?"

"That battle was fiery!" one worker shouted.

"I've seen them on TV, but being there for one was something else." replied another.

"Since when did the Instructor say that he cared about what you lugs thought?" Don growled. "Shut up and let the kid talk!"

Dozens of pairs of eyes locked on me, waiting for me to reply. The pressure for me to speak made me only say the question that was on my mind.

"How?" I asked Salvator. "How did you hit Kecleon with Zen Headbutt? Not only was he camouflaged, but I set up a Double Team too! I may be new to real battling, but I _know_ that evasiveness that high makes hits near to impossible!"

Salvator smiled. "Do you remember when I had Girafarig use Odor Sleuth?" I nodded

"The move Odor Sleuth has more than one effect, Hakins. In addition to allowing Normal-type moves to hit Ghost-types, which I am sure that you knew already, it also-"

"Guaranteed that the next move hit." I finished, realizing how dumb I was for not figuring that out.

"Correct. Now, Odor Sleuth takes time to use. Now rather than capitalizing on that by attacking, you instead went completely defensive, trying to guarantee Kecleons safety. Am I right so far?" Once again, I could only nod.

"Now I understand the importance of defense. But if you do not believe in your Pokemon, nor trust that it will do its best when attacking, then you will struggle to win battles. Offense is the best defense Hakins, and this old phrase holds true for a reason. Remember what you have learned today, and continue to grow from it."

I could feel myself getting frustrated. Was this it? Would I have to go right back to doing simulations again the day after? No. I couldn't.

Don checked his watch. "Alright, boys! Back to work, all of you! Who knows, maybe if you actually put some effort into it, we could have some more battles on this empty lot."

And just like that, the workers were back to building the houses. I gave Salvator his Kecleon, and we began the walk back to the SIM Center. Away from the crowd of spectators, I spoke.

"Salvator, what do I do now? After having a real Pokemon Battle, I can't ever go back to doing simulations again."

Salvator, not looking in my direction, raised an eyebrow; I was not done speaking, however.

"I know that I have a lot to learn about Pokemon and battling, but this is the first time that I've felt like this. The feelings...adrenaline, excitement, confusion...even the sting of defeat. I want to learn more about this world of Pokemon, and become a bigger part of it."

Salvator stopped walking, and turned to look at me.

"Hakins, if this is what you truly want, then say it with heart!" He said loudly, clenching his fists. "Do you want to do this? Then look me in the eyes and tell me, Hakins! Show me this passion that you speak of!"

I was taken aback by the energy resonating from Salvator. I didn't know where he was going with this, but I wasn't going to back down.

"I want to become a Pokemon Trainer!" I yelled, looking the veteran instructor directly in the eyes. My voice echoed through the peaks of the isle.

Salvator smiled, and put his left hand in his duster pocket, pulling out a closed envelope.

"I will never doubt your passion again. Take this," he said, putting the envelope in my hands.

"What is-"

Salvator clearly anticipated me having a question, and swiftly interrupted.

"Bring that letter to your parents. What I wrote in said letter is permission to end all simulation lessons and begin your Pokemon journey. When we reach the Simulation Center, I have a few more things to give you."

After saying this, he turned and began jogging. A lot had just happened. My first battle and a heart to heart with the coldest person that I had known. There was too much excitement ahead to have gotten bogged down in overthinking, though. I loved a good run, so I took off after him, excited for what the future held.


	3. Chapter 3: Setting the Course

About five minutes later, both me and Salvator were sat down on the gravel road, one of the many that snaked around Citadark Isle. The shape of the island gave these roads an amazing view of the shining blue sea from all sides. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, giving the azure water a reflection so bright that I had to avert my eyes. The blazing Orre Sun had quickly depleted our energy, and we were both wiping sweat from our foreheads. The short run had also drained all of the after-battle adrenaline from me, but the excitement of potentially becoming a Trainer was still strong as ever.

"Salvator…" I said, still concentrating on slowing down my breathing. "Why in the world are you...still...wearing that duster?"

Salvator, admiring the sea, turned his head towards me. He chuckled.

"Allow me to counter one absurd question with another. Hakins, do you care about Pokemon?"

I shook my head and scoffed, not feeling the need to answer that question again. Salvator cracked a grin and began using his left hand to roll the tips of his moustache between his fingers.

"See? Your love for Pokemon warranted you the right to a battle, yes?"

He stopped adjusting his moustache.

"And now that you have earned it, you shall continue to. The same goes for this." Salvator straightened out his duster using both hands. I stared at it, noting the torn and restitched parts, and wondering how those came to be.

"I earned this because I proved that I, too, am quite fond of Pokemon. Although it is true that this is simply a duster, Hakins, it is a part of my story." He smiled warmly. "Just as our battle will be a part of yours."

I pondered what he said for a moment, looking down at the numerous shades of black in the small rocks that made up the road. Then I began to chuckle. I slowly lost control and began to laugh out loud. Salvator looked at me quizzically, clearly confused.

"Um…Hakins?" he began, standing up. After a moment of silence, and a coughing spurt that finally settled me down, he spoke again.

"Now…I am not known for understanding the humor of adolescents, but as far as I know, nothing remotely pertaining to anything sexual or other things of that sort have occurred, and…" Salvator held his left elbow in his right hand, stroking his protruding facial hair. This was clearly confusing him, as he was doing his iconic thinking posture.

"You know why I'm laughing Salvator?" I finally said. I cracked a grin as the SIM master's gaze snapped back to me, desperate for an answer. He gestured for me to go on.

"That wonderful thing you said?" I said.

Salvator nodded.

"Well…" I continued. "It really was heartwarming, but let's be honest here. You wear that to look cool, don't you?

I looked to him for a reaction, but instead saw him looking away from me and towards the direction that led to the SIM center, running his hands through his slicked-back hair anxiously.

"Hakins, what are you doing still sitting on this road?" he said, his gaze still averted from mine. "We should make haste for the Center of Simulations. Or would you rather halt your journey for as long as humanly possible to broach such an absurd question?"

At saying this, he began to walk down the road towards the center. I quickly got up and jogged to catch up to him, the gravel crunching beneath my feet and mingling with the soft sound of the water below.

There was silence as we made our way back, until the awkwardness of it all finally got to Salvator.

"Yes, Hakins." he said, sighing as he spoke. "This duster is…aesthetically pleasing." And with that, the rest of our walk was spent talking about the amazing world of Pokemon and the traits that made them awesome.

…

Ten minutes later we were back within the cool confines of the SIM lab, inside of Salvator's simulation room. I was sitting in one of the chairs adorning the SIM chamber, sitting the opposite way to place my head in my arms, which were perched on the top rail. I liked the feel of these chairs. Agate Mahogany was the best kind of wood found in the primarily desert Orre region. It was also incredibly comfortable.

I watched with narrowed eyes as Salvator rummaged through the filing cabinets on the other side of the room. I generally settled into the rhythm of all of the noises. The sounds of kids in the surrounding rooms was quieted but noticeable. The closing and opening of disorganized filing cabinets produced the satisfying sounds of basic machinery at work and the clanging of objects.

My attention was brought back when Salvator sauntered back over, dragging one of the file drawers with him. After smoothing out his moustache, he spoke.

"I apologize for the ruckus, Hakins. I received these from Professor Krane quite some time ago, and then I realized that I did not really need such equipment in my lab, so I considered selling it. And then I promptly resumed to misplace it on that day. Oh, I remember the panic that set over me-"

He turned to me, and saw the nervous energy that made my right leg bounce and my body shudder.

"Oh, that's all irrelevant though. Regardless, I am glad that these are still here. The equipment in this drawer shall be perfect for your journey, the starting point of which I will get to later. Alright, let's begin with…"

Salvator rummaged through the drawer. I held back a sneeze from the dust, and could smell the "new" quality of the well-preserved items. Seconds later, the SIM master pulled out a small electronic device, about the size of my Xbox controller but far more narrow. I carefully took it from his hands. Two lights, both green and blue, flashed from its cover. I knew straight away that it was-

"Whoa! An actual Pokedex? No way!" I proclaimed, my left leg beginning to bounce as well.

"Correct." Salvator replied with a smile. "I'm glad to see that you appreciate the wonders of this device as much as I do. I believe that you are at the age to really use the Pokedex to its fullest potential. Now, thanks to the many trainers of other regions and the collaboration between professors, this is a **complete** Pokedex. Unfortunately, due to the shadow crisis of old, no real studies of the region's Pokemon have been conducted thoroughly. What we do know, however, is quite exciting."

The incredibly tall SIM instructor stood up, clearly becoming excited just by explaining this.

"It is exciting because Professor Krane has heard reports from trainers region wide of Pokemon from all over the world popping up all over Orre. At least 50 from each region have been documented. I predict that soon our region will be visited by rookie trainers in search of an exciting journey of their own sometime in the future. As it stands now though, our more "down and dirty" sectors to the East have spoiled the appeal."

He seemed to calm down at saying this.

"For now though, you have a distinct angle over most trainers, who bring their own Pokemon from other regions in search of battles. You, on the other hand, will get to experience the burst of wild Pokemon in Orre firsthand. Which brings me to the next two items that you will be receiving."

After carefully placing the Pokedex in my backpack, I looked up again to see Salvator's hands outstretched with more items.

"Ok. Please hold out your hands."

I did as instructed.

"First off, here is a PDA. I know that the technology is a little older than what you're used to, but it is a reliable tool in the field. It can receive and send emails faster than your phone. This particular PDA has an electronic item storage system, which allows you to store items in what we researchers call "cyberspace""

He noticed the confused look on my face, and nodded.

"Cyberspace is the area where items are digitized, and able to summoned in seconds with the press of a button. Keep in mind that the items should be, at the largest, the length and width of your two hands intertwined. Additionally, your PDA has one of the highest definition lenses to support holographic transmissions from long distance. I upgraded this particular tool so that you can send me photos of your findings. For strictly scientific purposes, of course."

I rubbed my fingers over the PDA in my hand. It's perfect condition came as a surprise, given that production was cut over two years ago following the introduction of smartphones. I placed this in my bag as well. In Salvator's other hand were six Poke Balls, one of them being an oddly alluring black with an amber capsule edge.

"Salvator?" I asked, "What is this Poke Ball here? It's quite cool looking, actually."

"That, Hakins, is a Luxury Ball. Out in the desert wastelands, a Pokemon that you might want could exhibit excessive amounts of aggression towards you, and the Luxury Ball specializes in calming these Pokemon down, and making them a little more friendly towards you."

I thought about it for a moment.

"That doesn't seem right. It almost sounds like sedating a Pokemon. If it's going to be aggressive then I wouldn't I let it be that way, and allow it to gain my trust through experiences with me?"

Salvator grinned.

"Spoken like a true Trainer, Hakins. But I would suggest that you hold onto it. You never know what diversities might come at you during your journey. Now, let's talk about where you will begin your Pokemon adventure, shall we?"

He gestured towards a map of Orre on the wall. I watched as he scanned the list of locations with his finger, seeming to be searching for one in particular. Eventually, he firmly pointed on a spot in the middle of the desert.

"Here! Hakins, you will journey to the Traveller's Oasis. It was once a small spot where bait was necessary to acquire Pokemon, but thanks to conservation efforts, it has now become a sizable tropical paradise amidst the desolate wasteland. This area has not been studied in quite some time, and will likely contain Pokemon never before seen in Orre. This is where your journey will begin."

"But wait," I said. "Surely you're too busy here to get all the way there and back. How am I going to get there?"

Salvator stroked his preposterous moustache.

"Well, I thought about that. And I have a person in mind who can be your guide to the Oasis. Him and I were rebels back in the day of the First Shadow Incident, and together we purged all of the remnants of Cipher from the crooked streets of the Under. I was the brains, and this man-"

" **Was the brawn!"**

One of the sliding, solid metal door came flying off its hinges, crashing against the wall opposite to it. I shouted, startled by this sudden entry. From the main hall, a man walked in. Although, describing him as a man simply wouldn't do him justice. He was something a step up from that.

He towered as tall as Salvator, but had a very muscular physique. He was adorned in an outfit that hodge-podged apocalyptic brown leather wear and various sashes and belts. Over these, he wore a sleeveless heavy brown coat with dirty white fur on the hood. He wore heavy duty pants and fingerless gloves, with combat boots tied up high. The belt on his waist contained two Poke Balls, and I didn't even want to imagine the terrifying creatures within them. His outfit showed small amounts of skin in many areas, suggesting that it had undergone a variety of death-defying situations. His exposed arms were littered with scars. The lower half of his face was covered by a thick brown beard, and I found a pair of sharp icy blue eyes sizing me up. Atop his head, he wore a dark grey ushanka.

Overall, he was terrifying to be near. That is, until he uttered a hearty, deep laugh. Salvator, seeing the busted door, sighed.

"My friend," the SIM master said, "My chamber doors barely work due to the last three times that I've had to replace these. For all that is sacred to you, have some discipline and knock! And don't say that it was to look "cool". Gah, you're unbelievable!"

The room fell quiet. The man rubbed the back of his next awkwardly. Salvator turned to me, and let out another heavy sigh.

"My apologies for the outburst." the instructor cleared his throat. "Hakins, I would like you to meet Sergei Romanov. He is my most trusted friend, and he will provide you with the transportation required to reach your destination. Sergei, you may take it from here."

The mountain of a man accepted my polite handshake with crushing strength. As he saw the unpleasant look on my face, he let loose a deep laugh.

"Hyello Hakins!" he said in a heavy Russian accent.

He paused for a moment.

"Ok. Introductions out of the way, here's the plan." he walked to the back of the room, in front of the map.

"I have a boat waiting for us down at the Citadark Docks. From there, we will ride to Gateon Port, where I have a vehicle parked. A friend of mine will take care of the boat, and we will drive straight into the desert, where the Traveller's Oasis lies. The trip will take just over six hours total, if we keep good pace and steer clear of nonsense. Be ready to leave tomorrow morning, around 8."

I felt a realization occur to me that felt obvious in hindsight.

"Sergei, I'd like to take somebody else along with me to the Oasis. He lives in Gateon Port, and he'll make the mundane far more entertaining."

Sergei ran his hand through his beard for a moment, his icy blue eyes straining as he thought about it. A moment later, he smiled.

"Alright! The more the merrier, ah? So, who will we be taking with us?"

"His name his Dustin," I replied. "And he's my most trusted friend…and my only friend really. He might want to catch some Pokemon too."

"Sounds great," Salvator added. "Experiences with Pokemon are always strengthened when alongside others."

He approached me and put his hand on my shoulder.

"Now that everything is planned out, you should really be getting back home, Hakins. Make sure to get a good night's sleep, and contact your friend. Make sure he is ready to meet you once you get to the truck, and no later. I do hate to delay you any longer from going out there and meeting your future partner, but there are other preparations to be made."

Salvator and Sergei followed me out, and I stayed quiet as they caught up with each other. As we exited the SIM building, the sun was just beginning its descent. I waved goodbye to the two of them, and sprinted home, envelope in one hand, granola bar in the other, and the items fit for a trainer bouncing around in my bag.

 _Here we go_ , I thought to myself. _Things are about to get a lot more interesting._


	4. Chapter 4: Words Unquantified

Unfortunately, there was still another night before the real adventure began. Upon arriving home, I tried to explain the day to my parents. I fidgeted as I spoke, unsure of the response I'd get even with the envelope from Salvator. The three of us were in the spacious and modern living room. My parents were sitting next to each other on an L-Shaped couch, and I was on my own armchair directly across from them. I paid careful attention to their faces, looking for any distinction as to what they were thinking as they read over the letter.

 _Man, oh man,_ I thought _. I really should have peeked at what the gist of the letter was. The SIM master had to have made it before the battle, so might some details have been missed?_

I was snapped out of my thoughts when my father set the letter down on the coffee table. He raised his head, and looked directly at me, and I met his gaze with as much determination as I could muster. Sure, it was my father, but if this was some kind of test to see how committed I was to going through with this, then I had to prove myself.

Our eyes were locked for what felt like an eternity. No matter how hard I tried, I could not figure out what was going through his head. Was I winning? Or had his mind already been made up? He turned away and whispered something to Mom, too quiet for me to pick up from across the room. I adjusted my posture in the armchair, trying to remain as calm as possible.

My father leaned back against the couch and crossed his arms, a large smile on his face. He chuckled.

"This is wonderful, son! I knew that you had the fire for battle in you! Just like me and your mother when we were trainers!"

"And," Mom chimed in, "after careful consideration, we have both agreed that you should go through with this. We won't stop you from experiencing the world of Pokemon, but if anything else happens out there, we can send you items via your PDA."

I stood up from the armchair.

"That's awesome!" I exclaimed. "Thank you both so much for understanding. You do know that you're the best parents ever, right?"

In response to this, my parents walked over to where I was standing. Together, we shared a hug.

"Hakins…" my father said, pulling away from the embrace. "Your mother and I owe you an apology. We thought that the simulations would be best for you, and we pushed you pretty hard at times, despite the clear signs that it wasn't meant to be."

My mother nodded, and stepped away too. "Yes," she said. "We should have realized that it wasn't doing you any good battling with artificial Pokemon. You are our son, after all."

"Nonsense," I replied, shaking my head. "That decision doesn't matter anymore. What matters is that I've just been allowed to go out and be in Orre. There isn't a reason for you to feel bad."

I smiled.

"Alright, I think I should start packing a bag for tomorrow. And I'm gonna talk to Dustin, see if he's up for coming with me. See you tomorrow!"

And with that, I headed into my room, closed the door behind me, and began to pack…

…

"I would love to go with you!" Dustin exclaimed, a big grin on his face.

It was just past 9PM. I was in a video call with Dustin, and I explained what happened earlier in the day. Dustin's skin was darker, a sort of diluted brown. He wore a light blue T-shirt and pajama bottoms, his normal outfit consisting of brighter colors. His hair was a darker blond, a tangle of curls in every which direction. His had large eyes, which were as blue as the deep ocean. He fidgeted around in excitement as he spoke.

"This will be awesome! My parents want me out of the house more often anyways. I'll be there Hakins! Don't keep _me_ waiting!"

"I won't," I replied, a grin on my face as well. "Get a good rest, and I'll see you there!"

"Bye!" Dustin ended the call.

Sighing, I looked over at my duffle and suitcase, which were packed with everything that I thought that I needed for a journey through the desert. I thought about it for a moment, and then realized that I wasn't quite relaxed enough to sleep yet. Nonetheless, I changed into my nightwear and climbed into bed, clapping twice and getting a satisfying feeling as the room went dark. I closed my eyes…

And quickly realized that this wasn't going to work. I climbed out of bed and made my way to the screen door across from my bed.

I quietly slid the door closed behind me, now outside on the balcony that overlooked the ocean. Although heights weren't my favorite, and the balcony jutted out with a massive drop below, the calm of the night lessened the fear. I relaxed as the wind from the sea swept past me, my straight hair leaning with the wind. I stepped over to the railing, leaning forwards. I began to think thoughts of Pokemon.

 _What Pokemon will I meet? How will I know which Pokemon to take with me and fight alongside? Will I get to choose my Pokemon? Or maybe it will choose me? What if I don't want it and it stands in front of me ready to join my party? No. I would still take it, because not doing so is selfish. And if I wanted a Pokemon, then I would wait for it to accept me and not push my luck too much_.

I nodded my head, my thoughts sorted out and my mind at ease. I turned to walk back into my room, when movement from the right caught my eye. I turned quickly, just in time to see a massive flying Pokemon swoop upwards, the force of the wind behind it knocking me off of my feet.

I looked up just in time to see it flying in the direction of the Cipher ruins, vanishing behind the jagged peaks around it seconds later. I got to my feet, momentarily stunned by what had just occurred. My eyes wandered towards the largest peak on the island, and seeing it snapped me back into reality. I then decided that I had to figure out what it was, or I wouldn't get any sleep at all. My curiosity as strong as ever, I changed into my normal clothes and grabbed my phone. I then left my house, guiding the front door gently back into place until it closed without a sound. That area wasn't far from where I lived, so I bolted up the winding road, the streetlights on the road casting my shadow as I ran.

As I went higher up the island, the street lights gave way to a dark dirt road, the treads of vehicles marked in the ground. While the dark was frightening, my determination to get to my destination was stronger. I kept the pace, using my phone flashlight to stay in the right direction. A couple minutes of jogging later, I reached the ruins…

While three years had been enough time to remove most of Cipher's development on the isle, the sheer size of the Cipher ruins left the task of disposing of it a frightening prospect for the workers. There wasn't just some lab equipment and a couple of walls to remove like the rest of the Isle; the herculean-sized Sphere didn't just disappear after the Second Shadow Incident. Therefore, it was agreed that the building would be knocked into the lava below, making usage impossible. And so, three years ago, the Sphere was sunken into the lava.

As time passed, the lava flows were sealed in order to add more space for real estate and make transit more smooth. Opening after opening was closed up, until one particular sealing also cut off the flow of lava to the Sphere. Over time, the violent ocean storms that defined the island extinguished the lava, leaving elevated ground.

Ultimately, the Sphere was shown to still be intact, misshapen and heavily damaged. The wreckage from the Sphere was all over the areas where lava once flowed. The workers ultimately decided to leave it be. They rationalized that on an island full of ocean views, the crater of a volcano might not have been the prime real estate.

I now found myself standing a couple hundred yards from the crumbling Sphere. I hadn't really been near it before, and the sheer size of it buried in the ground was astonishing. Even with part of it obscured, it had to be at least 10 stories high. The chunks of wall missing, the full moon shining through it, along with the dents and holes, was beautiful.

My attention was quickly shifted when I looked down to see that same Pokemon sat down ahead of me, with a figure to its left. The figure was staring intently at the massive structure. The curiosity that overcame me earlier was beginning to give way to fear. My heartbeat sped up, and my fists were clenched. Despite my better judgement, however, I found myself taking small steps towards the stranger. My arms grew weak with fear, and my muscles were so tense that they could not bend in any direction. Each step forwards brought more conflicting emotions, and my focus began to blur from all of the feelings and thoughts. Closer, I got, closer and closer and-

"Moonlight!" the figure shouted.

His Pokemon swung around, and before I had time to react, the moonlight intensified throughout the area, completely illuminating where I was. I froze, too scared to move. My heartbeat was pounding in my throat, and the idea of moving could not get through to the rest of my body.

The mysterious stranger turned around and sauntered into the lit area.

The figure was wearing a Peon outfit, which was produced en masse during the Second Shadow Incident. This one, however, was badly damaged. The armor was broken in several places, with clear weld marks on the chestplate. One of the legs did not have the white armor at all, and in its place was scrap metal. The helmet was shattered on the left side, a half face mask covering the part that would've shown the face of this stranger. He wore a grey cloak over the back of this all. This was much more intimidating than any Peon that I had seen in the past years of my life.

"What are you doing here, kid?" the stranger's deep voice asked, although it was clear to me that he was a young man. He projected an eeriness about him, and I could feel his gaze burning into me through the mask he wore.

I remained silent, too scared to speak. The damaged Peon seemed to twitch.

"Answer me!" he yelled, causing me to flinch. "Or would you rather be shredded to pieces where you stand?"

At saying this, his Pokemon walked into the light, revealing that it was a Noivern. This Pokemon growled loudly, claws outstretched. I could barely muster the strength to blink, but silence brought about the prospect of death.

"Well…your Noivern flew by my house…not that that's bad or anything…just…uh, I thought I'd investigate….harmless." I said the last word almost as a question more than a statement. The Peon folded his arms.

"What kind of idiot sees a Dragon Pokemon fly to the center of a volcano, and feels compelled to follow it?"

I let out a defiant shrug.

"Well," I started. "I…was just…you know…int-"

"Idiotic," Peon interjected. "Foolish, thoughtless-"

"Alright!" I countered, some force giving me courage. "What do you want, Cipher? What good is this place to you? You've lost. There's nothing left!"

This triggered a reaction from Noivern, who bore its fangs on me. Startled, I jumped back, but the figure raised his hand before the fearsome dragon could advance any further on me.

"I am no Peon, boy." he said, "You have no idea what you're talking about."

After a moment, the figure crossed his arms, and his voice quieted again. "When I first wore this armor, I was a pawn. Things are a little different now."

He turned to briefly stare at the Sphere, and then returned his attention to me.

"Who are you?"

"Hakins." I replied. "And uh…you are?"

"Zero." he said. The ex-Cipher Peon walked over to me, now just mere feet in front of me. After a moment, he sighed.

"You will not die tonight, so long as you leave."

I felt an anger welling up inside of me. I had spent so much of my life being pushed around by men dressed as him. Rational or not, I wanted answers..

"What _are_ you doing here? The Sphere is gone, and all of the equipment has been destroyed"

I grew still, unsure if I had just sealed my fate.

Zero turned around and took a few steps towards the Sphere, his footsteps echoing in the silence. A strong breeze from my left blew past, making Zero's cloak drift to the right in the wind. The Moonlight that had been radiating throughout began to dim, my eyes straining to keep focus on the ex-Peon.

"I came to see what your workers have been doing here" Zero said, still not facing me. "They may have seen Cipher; they may have lost people or Pokemon to their forces, but they came here to build some pampered property without any idea of how awful this place was. They should've let Citadark burn and flood."

"I…"

I began to try and say something. Something that might justify why things weren't so bad on the Isle. But I certainly couldn't be one to talk; I was about to leave it all behind with a smile on my face the next morning.

Living on Citadark the past couple of years had been complicated. I found myself thinking of the limited diet allowed to me. Given that crops could not grow, boats brought supplies from the mainland daily, primarily canned food and other long-lasting products. Produce was available, but it was often tainted by the waves upon arrival to the Isle.

I then thought of Pokemon. There were close to none here. Just like us people, the lack of food would've been a problem for them too. The violent storms driving away bird Pokemon. The drastic change of tides sending water Pokemon through whirlpools.

I found the words.

"Just because Cipher built a monolith of evil here doesn't mean that it has to taint the soil here forever. Living here has been hard, but in ten years time, this will be a much nicer place to live. And that's because we let go of the past."

I heard the shuffle of Zero's armor as he shook his head, folding his arms and gazing up beyond the Sphere that dominated his view, and towards the lustrous full moon.

"How naive," Zero said. "It's easy to say that when you don't have a past so awful that it needed to burn."

Zero took a step forwards.

"Did you ever see a Shadow Pokemon for yourself?"

I shuddered. I couldn't forget it. My family had been living in Phenac city before we moved here. We witnessed a lot of concentrated activity from Cipher over the course of my life there. I had seen the Shadow Pokemon when I was very young; young enough that I was still in a stroller. My parents were walking with me that day, and then suddenly pulled me to the side of a house. I heard impacts and explosions, and in my childlike curiosity, slipped out of the grasp of my father to see what was going on. I turned the corner to see what lodged itself in my mind forever.

It was a Pokemon battle. A peon dressed in blue was battling a strange young man with a machine on his arm. While the man's Pokemon was gaining the upper hand. The peon's creature was ravenous and horrifying. Its screeches rattled my soul, and seeing it ram its head against the walls was equally traumatizing. Even at my age, I could feel the Pokemon suffering. I didn't have a sound sleep for a long time after that

Because of that single encounter, it took me a long time to feel comfortable with Pokemon battling again. Seeing one would almost always trigger the memory of the self-brutalizing Pokemon. I was likely directed to Battle SIMs from my parents because of this. However, as an adolescent, I came around to caring a lot about the importance of Pokemon in my life, especially as we spent time on Citadark. My battle with Salvator cemented the change in me.

I saw that Zero had turned around, the cracked pieces of his Peon helmet casting a menacing shadow in the moonlight, looking like an urchin atop a ragged pedestal. His arms remained folded, and his voice gritted and deep. I was doing a poor job hiding my reaction to my thoughts.

"I know that look. Now imagine what it was like to not only see those monsters every day, but sit by and watch them scream as the doors to their hearts were artificially closed."

At saying this, his mouth showed anger, outwards and scowled.

"The world's top researchers banded together, not to solve the myriad of problems facing our changing world, but in the pursuit of pure power. Bright minds should've be used for the betterment of all. Instead the chemicals that had the potential to revolutionize our world were modified to infect Pokemon and push the limits of their power. What worked was trained and studied, and the failures were disposed of."

Zero turned to face Noivern, who up until now had its gaze locked onto me, awaiting any sign of aggression to rip me apart. The dragon's mustard eyes turned to lock onto Zero, and I could almost sense a sort of respect. There was no warmth in that gaze.

"I believe in making the hard calls. But I will not stand for those who wish to treat the Pokemon of our world as the necessary test rats for humanity's future ever again."

He returned Noivern's stare. It was clear that this Noivern and Zero had a story far deeper than I could pick up on. Zero once again shifted to face me.

"That's why I visit places like these. So that I can remember."

Zero stepped forwards. Another shiver went down my spine.

"I will pry Cipher from this region. Every corner they cower in, every foxhole they hide in. They won't get away with this."

I stared in disbelief. No. It couldn't be.

"Wait," I said quietly. "Cipher is gone, right? Michael wiped them out years ago-"

"I answered your question," he interjected. "We're done here."

He stepped away from me, and then turned to Noivern.

"Boomburst!"

A feral shriek, a throbbing ring that filled my head, and then darkness…


	5. Chapter 5: The Launchpad

A faint buzzing awoke me. My hands rubbed against concrete, already warm from the rising sun. Pulling myself up to my feet, I realized that I was back on my balcony. I paced around, making sure that I wasn't injured. The only thing that I could determine was a small headache. Upon figuring that out, I remembered the events of the previous night. The mysterious Peon donned in mask who spoke of his mad dash towards retribution. The Noivern, and its boombox-like ears echoing a shattering Boomburst. The Sphere, a piece of wreckage that gave the feeling of being a small piece of an immense world. A structure that was beautiful in its damages and wear.

And yet how did I end up here? Surely he did not notice me as his Noivern went barreling towards the ruins? The questions remained, but my attention turned to the source of the buzzing. I realized that it was my alarm from inside my room.

I sauntered over to my alarm clock, its electronic light standing out in my dark bedroom. The time read 6:35 A.M, and with a quick pat of the hand, the device quieted at last. I sighed.

 _Another day, another lecture._ I thought to myself. _Salvator will be furious with me for my absence, and now I have to explain to him that a masked enigma lectured me about the ways of Cipher and then returned me home._

I went over to grab my backpack, the pain in my head easing. An electronic noise sounded from the inside. I reached inside, pulling out the PDA that was given to me only a day ago. At that moment, the floodgates opened. The conversation with Salvator in the SIM room, and the exciting battle that came afterwards.

 _I'm going on my journey today_ , I realized.

In an instant, energy was coursing through me. My calm and unmotivated walk became a frantic dash back and forth, as I grabbed the bags that I'd be taking along with me and stacked them against my door. Once that was done, I sat on my bed, PDA in hand, and examined the device. The events of the previous day had made figuring out the mechanics of the old technology a very low priority. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see the simplicity of the device, and clicked the green light, which was currently flashing and making the same noise, which was a short electronic beat repeating every couple of seconds. I made sure to turn the volume down for any future messages. With the press of a button, the PDA clicked open, and the interface popped up. I was surprised to see an unread email already. The device had the message up within seconds:

 _Subject: Departure_

 _Hello Hakins! This is Sergei, and I wanted to remind you, in case the exhaustion from lack of sleep has made you forget, that your journey begins today. Citadark docks, 8AM. I am a busy man, so I leave with or without you. Hah, kidding! Try to be on time, though. Makes both our lives easier, ah? See you there, chuvak!_

Something in my head told me that the ride from Citadark to Gateon would be quite interesting with Sergei at the helm. Putting the night's events behind me, I got ready for the day.

…...

My outfit consisted of black shorts, a gray tri-blend shirt, and a water-resistant light brown jacket that was unzipped. My hair, as always, was all over the place after sleeping, which was the way that I liked it. Admiring the color coordination in my room's mirror, I ran my hands through my hair, allowing it to spike up even more. Checking my phone, I saw that the time was 7:15, so I grabbed my bags. The suitcase was filled with all the material stuff that I'd need for camping and other things that I might need out in Orre.

 _The power of technology could fold the comforts of home into lightweight storage cubes._ I reminded myself.

My duffel had clothes and toiletries, and my backpack had all of Salvator's gear inside, along with things that needed to be at arm's reach.

My arms full of supplies, I pushed open the door with my back, and was pleasantly surprised to see my mother and father both in the main room. My mom was on the L-shaped couch, with my Dad focusing a lot on the meal that he was preparing in the kitchen. He nodded to me when I entered, and my mom grabbed my duffel from my arms.

"Let me help you with your bags!" my Mom said, smiling warmly.

"Your mother will help you load your luggage into the car," my Dad echoed, his eyes trained on the cutting board, where he was dicing an onion at an astonishing speed.

"Breakfast should be ready soon. And you're staying here for it. I won't let these ingredients go to waste."

The smell from the kitchen was alluring. A mix of spices and ingredients treated in the ways that they were always meant to made for an aroma that could only be described as the prelude to a great meal. I saw the value in it, too. His job as director of Foremen made these meals rare. However, on the right day with the better quality of produce shipped over by boat to Citadark, my Dad would come back from work earlier, arms holding brown bags filled with fresh vegetables and spices, and create culinary masterpieces.

The bags safely in the back of Dad's pickup truck, my mother and I returned inside. I took a seat in the armchair, with my mother comfortably nestling herself on the couch. I was quite surprised with how little emotion was in the air, with my departure for the Orre mainland imminent. However, I preferred it this way. I wouldn't have to feel incredible remorse over the look in the faces of either of my parents.

"So Hakins, do you know if Dustin will be able to join you?" asked Mom, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah, he's going to meet us at Gateon Port. He's probably at the dock already; Dustin's really wanted to explore other places with his Pokemon, but you know how his parents can be."

My mother nodded. "Well I'm glad that he gets to go with you for this. The Traveller's Oasis is supposed to be gorgeous, full of plant and Pokemon life that can't be found in any other part of Orre. Who knows what you'll find!"

"Yeah…" I said, losing myself in my thoughts, with the aromas from the kitchen intensifying into a melody of the senses.

…..

The meal was amazing. It had to have been my favorite breakfast of all time, the flavors not overshadowing one another but combining, merging from their own individual prowess to a beast stronger than its core parts.

The car ride was about ten minutes. Dad's pickup truck skirted the precarious winding path that looped around the jagged peaks of Citadark, the makeshift railings more of a comfort object than a barrier to the sea. That was also supposed to come in time, my father told me. The car ride was as quiet as the meal, with me looking out the window towards the sea, envisioning the landmass beyond the shining blue.

We exited another tunnel through the peaks, and emerged at the Citadark docks around 8. Massive cliffs dominated the docks on either side, showing the marks from the industrial equipment that hollowed the area. The road turned to concrete here, and my back relaxed as the turbulence of our ride ceased. The pickup truck turned right, settling down in an empty parking lot near the docks. Looking out the window, I caught a glimpse of a sleek black speed boat bobbing peacefully in the waves. With no other transportation around, I deduced that it had to be Sergei. I heard the sound of the pickup truck turning off, so I opened the car door, slinging my backpack over my shoulder.

Looking back, I admired the cliff face of which the tunnel lay. Layers of sedimentary colors like the sunset dotted the wall-like formation. Turning around, my parents had already opened the trunk, and I scrambled to grab my duffel, to avoid being rude. Together, we made our way over.

My footsteps echoed on the concrete as we walked the short distance to the docks. It was made of steel, faded from salt and tides but standing strong. There were three walkways jutting out into the water, which were spread out to allow for extra space. I could see Sergei ahead, hands on the railings that secured the people on the paths. He was right next to his boat, and was not wearing his ushanka, allowing for his brown hair to shift around in the morning wind. He was facing the ocean, but heard our footsteps and turned around. He smiled upon locking eyes with me, and jogged over to greet us.

"Hyello Hakins!" Sergei echoed joyously, throttling my arm for another grueling handshake. "These must be your parents. Allow me to grab those bags, ah?"

With little effort, Sergei grabbed the bags from both of my parents, balancing them in each arm. I was stunned to see the definition of his muscles as he effortlessly hauled them towards his boat. Me and my parents followed. My father leaned into me as we neared the boat.

"This is Salvator's closest friend? I trust his judgement, but…just...be careful."

I only nodded.

With a heave, Sergei loaded my stuff onto the boat, closing the hatch that it would stored in and sealing it with the push of a button. Taking a breath, he jumped back out of the boat and shook the hands of both of my parents.

"A pleasure to meet you both. My name is Sergei, and I will be guiding both Hakins and his friend to the Traveller's Oasis, where he will catch his first Pokemon. I cannot give you a definite time of how long we will be, but I hope that you understand that journeys tend to not have exact timetables."

My father smiled. "We've both been on journeys, Sergei. We understand that. Which is why I am giving Hakins permission to stay out in Orre as long as he likes."

My eyes widened.

My mother stepped forward. "We know that you can't rush these things, so we want to really give him time to develop as a trainer. There is so much to see out there too"

I was dumbstruck, but incredibly happy. "You're awesome parents, you know that?"

We shared a hug, and I could hear Sergei's laughter over the crashing waves and wind. After a few seconds, we split apart again. My mother turned to look at my father, and together they shared a smile. I sensed a sort of excitement from them.

"What's funny?" I asked, deciding to pretend to not understand.

My father's gaze shifted back to me. "I was speaking with Don, who I'm sure you remember."

The feeling of my first battle came flooding back, and my determination to score a victory was stronger than ever.

"We've both agreed that this shouldn't be the last time that you battle on Citadark, Hakins," my father continued. "And Don was so inspired by watching you battle that he has convinced the construction board to have a battlefield constructed in one of the caves on the island. When you return here during your journey, Salvator would like to have a rematch with you."

At hearing this, I held back the impulse to give me father another hug, and instead looked him in the eyes.

"Tell Salvator that I accept his challenge." I replied, practically shaking and unable to hold back a grin.

"Of course." my father replied, giving me another hug. "Alright, it's time that we left. Come on Cami, I'll make us both lunch."

"Sounds good," my mom replied, giving me a hug in turn, although a little tighter than my father did. She pulled away, but her arms remained on my shoulders. "I know you'll do great, Hakins. Just remember to not rush things. Pokemon training takes time and patience."

Although the thought of having to train my Pokemon made me a little queasy, I still nodded in response.

Sergei, who was standing by his boat with his arms crossed, stepped forwards.

"I believe that it is time that we left Hakins. Your friend, and the frontier of the entire Orre region, await you."

"Yeah," I replied, throwing my backpack onto the red leather seat nearest to me.

At seeing this, my parents gave me one final wave, and began to make their way back over to the pickup truck. I couldn't help myself.

"Thank you both!" I shouted, jumping into the boat and settling down in my seat.

They both turned around, smiled warmly, and continued walking. The boat rocked as Sergei hopped the dock and landed in the boat, taking the helm and adjusting a couple of gadgets on his dashboard. With the flick of a switch, the speedboat roared to life. Since it was already facing the sparkling sea, the boat launched from the dock, and I barely grabbed my bag in time. I wasn't aware that I was shouting until Sergei laughter boomed over the deafening sound of the engine.

"AH HA HA!" Sergei roared, as the wind made my hair look like grass in a hurricane.

"This is it Hakins! Your adventure begins NOW!"

With that, he shifted gears on the boat, and we took off even faster. Looking behind me, I saw the chunk of rock that I had come to know so well slowly fade before my eyes. First it was an island. Seconds later, a giant rock. A minute after that, with nothing to hear but the engine hitting new strides, and nothing to see but the ocean and Sergei from the front and a wall of water from the sides. The island was no more than a dot that strained the eyes to see. Three years of memories, now consumed by the blue, with the boat steamrolling towards the horizon…


	6. Chapter 6: The Atrocity

**(Somewhere, far off in the Orre Desert)**

"Linus!" he shouted, his deep voice projecting itself from the stone stairs below.

Linus sighed. Mudibu was not one who was fond of delays. From atop the Outpost Rock, Linus could see expanse of desert for miles in every direction. The monotony of the landscape gave the mind the ability to switch off, and focus only on the intense sun and whirlwinds of sand that accompanied every breeze. The wandering of his mind ceased as the footsteps thundered their way towards him. Mudibu always seemed to stride with an urgency or, more accurately, the desire to overcome any obstacle in the way of Cipher. Linus turned around, and saw him emerge from the dim lighting below the stairs.

He had an impressive physique, and was of average height. His skin was a rusted bronze, cooked alive in the Orre desert. His eyes were a faded green, likely also victim to the heat. His forearms were obscured by vambraces, which Linus had fabricated for the purpose of today's presentation. He was taking a liking to them quickly, though. He had on his sleeveless robe, which was partially obscured by leather padding. He wore heavy duty pants, and shoes made for the sands. His work with Cipher had earned him an Admin cape; a beautiful and long piece of cloth embroidered with maroon and white. Mudibu took his reward, however, and turned it into a hood, which he was wearing now. It could not obscure the urgency in his eyes, however.

"Linus!" he shouted once again, pointing directly at the scientist. "I have brought you a Trainer! Are your scientists ready?"

Mudibu's heavy accent was intimidating as always. Linus adjusted his glasses, whose lenses were grey. Calculations flashed in the lenses, but he quickly dismissed them. He had no reason to doubt that the plan would be completely successful.

He nodded. "We have been ready for quite some time…"

He paused.

"Admin."

Mudibu smiled, a twisted look of malice on his face.

"Wonderful. Then what are we waiting for? There is work to be done! This is a grand day for the organization!"

Linus obliged, taking one last look at the clear sky above before heading into the base.

They passed through dim hallways, the security systems within the walls scanning them every few seconds. Through a series of turns, they arrived at the elevator. Linus removed his glasses, and placed his eye in the correct spot. A scan traced up and down several times, before granting them access. A panel under the other buttons opened, revealing one final floor. The elevator door closed, and the intensity that emanated from Mudibu made the scientist shudder. He ran through the calculations again on his glasses, to distract himself from the Admin's eager anticipation.

The doors opened; Linus let Mudibu leave first, as a courtesy. They were now in a large main room, with doors on the three adjacent walls. Mudibu stood at the center of the room, arms crossed. A brawny way of conveying that he had no idea where to go. Masking a smirk, Linus went towards the door on the left, Mudibu now close behind. He pulled out the keycard, and the door slid open. Linus winced.

The room was quite large, and had two capsules at the opposite wall. In one was a male trainer who couldn't have been older than fourteen. It was clear that he had been screaming up until this point, as the vocal filter indicator was red on his capsule. The room was backlit with a purple light, the walls the same grey that made up the tunnels of the building. Lines streaked through the room, a red light occasionally making its way across the lines. Machinery of multiple purposes adorned the other walls. A control panel stood in front of the capsules, with another scientist standing next to it. They turned to them when they entered.

"There you are! Way to keep us waiting, buster!" said Lovrina.

Linus twitched at her tone. Lovrina was young, barely older than sixteen. He long pink hair was loose and flying around as she dramatically rambled about how selfish he had been.

"I have no patience for entitled children." Mudibu said. "We have work to do, Lovrina."

Linus turned to the main computing terminal, where Ein was hard at work. He turned when he heard Linus approaching.

"Greetings, Linus!" he said.

"Have the security protocols for this room been updated and calibrated?" Linus asked, exchanging looks between Ein and the code on the terminal.

"We're all ready, sir." Ein replied, giving a smile that Linus was sure was meant to be charismatic.

Ein was a handsome man, clearly conscious about how he presented himself. He wore an extravagant white coat with a high collar, and he gazed at him through sharp black glasses. Linus found him to be just as much a joke as Lovrina. Both had failed before, and both still thought that they could lead this operation.

"In positions!" Mudibu said, stepping forward. His arms were now behind his back in more official fashion.

Ein and Linus came back over to where the capsules were. Mudibu looked over to Linus, and gave him a nod.

"Alright you two," the scientist said sternly. "Lovrina, show me this trainer's Pokemon. Ein, calibrate Capsule 2 and prepare the chamber for a live subject!"

The two of them did what they were supposed to. The head scientist gestured towards a chair in the room, and Mudibu sat down.

Lovrina led Linus to a desk, which was immaculate in cleanliness. On its solid white surface, three Pokeballs were in a ball tray, attached firmly by the individual pockets of magnetic force on the sheet. Linus looked over to her.

"Do you know which Pokemon these are?" he asked.

"Yessir." she replied. Lovrina was clearly taking things more seriously now.

"The one on the left is a Lombre. Center is a Krabby. Right is a Rhydon, sir." She pointed to each one as she spoke.

Linus smirked, and turned to Mudibu.

"Admin, would you be interested in having a Rhydon of your own?"

The scientist heard banging, and turned to see the trainer pathetically wailing on the impenetrable walls of the capsule. Tears dotted his face. Mudibu sat up, now much more interested.

"How are you going to make this work?" Mudibu asked. "You and I both know that Pokemon are immune to our Shadow transformation, Linus. Even here, we're going to get interference."

He was not incorrect. After the Second Shadow Incident, the researchers at Krane's lab found out the way that Cipher had created Shadow Pokemon, due to the haphazard evacuation of the Key Lair years ago. Because of this, they ingeniously manufactured radio waves to calm the anger that maintained the Shadow Pokemon's ferocity.

However, Linus shook his head.

"What Ein managed to accomplish was extraordinary," he began. "However, it was just the first step. A prototype that yielded decent results."

Linus turned to look at Ein. While the former admin was incredibly headstrong, he had the humility to accept that Linus had simply done a better job in the end. They exchanged a nod.

"We were unable to turn very strong Pokemon, though. The exception of course, being the Legendary Dogs, which became incredibly expensive due to subpar research and development. Just like Ein's design, the radio waves are a prototype. There are ways to counteract it."

Linus walked back over to the control panel, the Poke Ball containing Rhydon in hand.

"Come, Admin. You will be able to witness this milestone."

Once Mudibu was standing beside him, he turned to Ein.

"Please ready the phasers in Capsule 1, Ein." he told him, inserting the Poke Ball into the side of the console.

"Surely you mean Capsule 2, sir?" he replied, looking at me quizzically through his glasses.

Linus tensed up, a force taking his breath away for a moment. The head scientist shrugged it off.

"No, I meant Capsule 1. The one with the trainer."

"Yes, sir." Ein replied, his monotone voice returning.

Linus pressed a button on the control panel, and the Poke Ball was quickly digitized. Moments later, the capsule lacked space, for a Rhydon had filled it. Quickly realizing that it was captured, it began to thrash about, causing the ground beneath our feet to vibrate.

"Lovrina!" Linus shouted. "Stiffen the magnetic coils on the ground. Adjust to an Earthquake the equivalent of 4.7!"

The diva scientist rushed over to a console on one of the walls, and the room stood still mere seconds later. Adjusting his glasses, Linus walked to the area between the two capsules.

"Lovrina! Ein! Begin Shadow Protocol! Codename: APEX!"

They began to re-calibrate the chambers from terminals near the capsule. Linus turned to face Mudibu.

"You are correct, Admin. The radio waves had made it impossible to recreate the archetype of Shadow Pokemon that we had utilized for so long. This made it so that the creation of any more would require far more work than before. While our technology improved greatly, we still could not do it successfully."

The wall between the two capsules became transparent, and the trainer pressed his hands against it immediately, his Rhydon doing the same.

"However, I made a breakthrough recently. Why try to artificially introduce the feelings of anger and sadness when they could be generated naturally? You see, to close the door to a Pokemon's heart, its emotions need to reach a "fever pitch" of sorts."

Linus gave a nod, and Ein pressed a button on the control panel. The vocal dampener was not enough. The child's screams could be heard throughout the room as electricity surged through him. So, too, could the angry cries of Rhydon, who wailed against the glass to no avail. The scientist's fists clenched. He put them in his coat pocket, and then turned to Lovrina.

"Dampen vocal emissions in Capsule 1, but maintain vocal transparency between the two capsules."

"Sorry boss, but we're at max right now." Lovrina replied, shaking her head. "Kids gettin' tazed really give me the chills too."

Linus shook his head, and returned his attention to Mudibu.

"Fever pitch is the pinnacle of negative emotion. Once a Pokemon has reached it, we are able to close the door to its heart. The radio waves made fever pitch near to impossible, but only the artificial kind. What force can stop true anguish?"

Linus snapped his fingers, and on cue Ein raised the voltage. The trainer's screams somehow became louder. Rhydon could only hit harder, and tears began to appear in its eyes. It could do nothing.

"As you can see here, no radio waves can stop the pain of true suffering. We may not have capsules everywhere, but all that we have to do is get the Pokemon into this state. Once that happens, the beautiful simplicity of this next part can take hold, and the struggle is over. So much for factories dedicated to production. Our operation can happen in the field now."

Rhydon's cries now dominated the room. Mudibu had a huge grin on his face.

"The powers of Shadow belong to us once again, Admin." Linus said, taking his hands out of his coat pockets to raise them passionately.

Linus walked from the desk to where Lovrina was, and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Now is the time. Activate it."

Lovrina smiled, and pressed another button near the capsules. A needle shot out from the back of Rhydon's capsule, making direct contact with its back. Within seconds, Rhydon slumped over, still. The voltage in the trainer's capsule turned off, and he too collapsed, unconscious. Linus walked over to Mudibu, noting his continued tension as he did.

"This is where you redeem your prize," he said, pointing towards Mudibu's gauntlets. "I've given you the tutorial, Admin. Now please awaken it."

"Gladly," Mudibu replied.

He pressed the large blue button on the right gauntlet, and the eyes of Rhydon immediately shot open. They were no longer a pale white, but a dark red.

The drill Pokemon started rampaging, pounding harder against the glass then before. The capsule was beginning to display alerts, as the sheer power of Rhydon was overwhelming the impressive technology. Lovrina panicked a tad, and Ein stepped away from the panel. Linus, however, calmly walked forwards, directly in front of the rampaging Pokemon.

"See, Admin?" he said. "This power is yours now."

With that, Linus flicked a switch on the side, and Rhydon vanished into the ceiling. On cue, the Poke Ball was released from its previous spot. The head scientist fetched it, and put it into Mudibu's hands. Nodding, he placed it at his belt, where two other Pokemon already were.

"Lovrina, get to work fixing the capsule. Ein, update the log. Success #3." Linus then turned to Mudibu.

"This process is a little primitive right now, as I'm sure you're aware, Admin. However, I have discovered that, by tapping into the brains of Pokemon, we could use some kind of implant to create the scenario that causes such pain. That would mean that we wouldn't need to electrocute the trainers."

Linus felt a shudder run through him. Almost frustrated with himself, he shook his head, and looked up.

Mudibu's gaze was fixed on him.

"What is it?" Linus asked, worried that his shiver had been seen.

"I am indebted to you, Linus." Mudibu replied. "You have made Cipher's future bright again! How can I possibly repay you?"

Linus smiled. Events were transpiring too perfectly. On the other hand, his calculations were near to infallible, so he had no reason to believe that this could have gone any other way.

"Well," he began. "All that I want to see is the security and stabilization of the world. I will have any debt repaid once you and the rest of the Admins see to that."

Linus removed his glasses, and stroked his chin for a moment.

"There is one thing, though." he said

Mudibu was inspecting the controls on his gauntlet, and then turned to face Linus again.

"Your pause is unnecessary, Linus. Tell me what you need."

Linus nodded.

"Despite the strength of the new Shadow Pokemon, they can still be purified at Relic Stones, or through the use of the digitized Purification Chamber. These primary methods of Purification are extremely well guarded. Agate Village is near to impenetrable now. Krane Labs, too, has fantastic security. They will fall eventually, but one other Relic Stone currently exists."

I pulled out a device, and sent coordinates to Mudibu's gauntlets. He smiled as he saw the holographic interface pop open on his gauntlet.

"I'm sending you coordinates to the Traveller's Oasis." he said.

"I know where this is." Mudibu replied.

Linus nodded. "Good. Get two Peons to help you with any unexpected turbulence. Your Rhydon should be strong enough to destroy the stone. I'm sure the General would be pleased to hear that a Relic Stone was vanquished, too."

Mudibu raised an eyebrow. "I do not have time to break a rock."

The fearsome Admin turned to Lovrina.

"Pick your Peons, and go destroy it. Prove yourself."

"You betchya!" she replied, practically jumping out of her seat and through the automatic doors.

Mudibu turned to Linus.

"Streamline the process however you can, and inform me of any updates. I have to check up on a couple of things."

At saying this, the Admin exited the room as well. Sighing, Linus walked over to Ein, who was inspecting the damage on the capsule.

"This will take some time to fix…" he muttered to himself.

As Linus passed by the child, he felt the clench again. Having made up his mind, the head scientist made his way to Ein.

"Ein." Linus said flatly.

He turned from what he was doing.

"I'd like you to ensure that the subj…the child is dropped off at his place of residence."

Ein stiffened. "Sir, that's ridiculous. That could be the Pyrite town square for all we know!"

Linus smacked his fist against the capsule, causing Ein to grimace.

"The location does not matter. Return him home! I do not want another word from you. Find his last location now! And leave me to the subject!"

Clearly rattled, Ein exited the room with haste, the doors sliding behind them. Now alone, Linus gazed through the capsule. The trainer had flat brown hair and freckled skin. His expression of panic had revealed his green eyes. He looked to him, and sighed.

 _The betterment of mankind should not be reached off of the backs of its own people,_ he thought to himself. _I will strive to ensure that the security of our world comes through the creatures that inhabit our world, and them alone._

* * *

 _I'm continuing to write this again after two years, and I have a couple of more chapters in storage right now. If you haven't already, you should read the earlier chapters in this story. I really hope you've enjoyed it, and let me know what you think._


	7. Chapter 7: The Boat Ride

Sometime later, Sergei slowed the boat down. I was facing the back of the boat, on a red leather couch warmed from the sun. I was admiring the waves, and wondering if a Pokemon would hop out of the water to join my team at that moment. After the change in speed, I turned to face Sergei. He was adjusting the controls on the boat, which was causing a noticeable difference in the feeling of the speedboat as we glided through the water.

"We've bypassed the dangerous waters around the island, which have caused a plethora of crashes in the area. Now it should be about an hour before we hit Gateon Port, which as you know is straight ahead." Sergei said.

After switching the boat to what I assumed to be autopilot, he turned around in his swivelling seat to face me. He reclined his seat back, relaxing just like his boat was. He scratched his beard a bit, and spoke, still looking up at the clear sky.

"I'm guessing that sleep did not come easy to you last night," Sergei said. "That has a way of happening to those starting their adventures. It will likely continue for awhile. Correct me if I'm wrong, chuvak."

I seriously debated if I wanted to tell him about the previous night for a moment. However, I realized that perhaps his experiences with Cipher could help me figure out who this person was.

"Well..." I began. "It was certainly quite a night."

Sergei immediately sat back up straight, putting his elbows on his knees and intertwining his fingers.

"That sounds like a story worth telling, ah?" he remarked, his icy eyes trained on me.

"You could say that," I replied. "Well, here goes…"

I recounted to Sergei everything that I could remember, from the Noivern flying past my house to the moment that the sonic blast knocked me unconscious. Upon reflection, I noted my own unusual actions in response to the whole scenario, but I made sure to be as candid with Sergei as I could be, up to the point when the Boomburst knocked me out. Sergei was focused on me throughout, and after identifying that I had finished, he raised an eyebrow.

"Remind me again, Hakins." he said, pushing his hair away from his eyes. "What did you say this Peon's name was?"

"I don't think he gave me an actual name," I replied. "But he said it was Zero."

"Did he now?" Sergei asked, muttering more to himself than talking to me. His answer peaked my interest.

"Does that name ring a bell, Sergei?" I asked, leaning forwards in the comfortable red couch.

Sergei was still for a moment, clearly straining to remember the name Zero. Eventually, he sighed.

"The name is…familiar to me, chuvak," he said, his gaze fixed on the floor of the speedboat. "However, I do not want to give you the wrong answer. I think I know someone who _could_ tell you, though."

He turned back to his dashboard and clicked another button, revealing a holographic computer terminal to his right. He typed quite fast, appearing to look through an entire database with impressive speed. Eventually, the screen showed a location out in the desert, in what seemed like the remnants of an old train.

"This is where we will find more information about your "Zero" character." Sergei said, changing the image to show a chart of activities.

"My friends are creatures of habit, and stick to a very tight schedule. We will only have this time period to meet up with them. They will be at this location in about three days time." Sergei smiled. "And thanks to a strange encounter, you adventure has gained even more depth."

I smiled back, my respect for this burly man continuing to grow. Silence followed for awhile, as I enjoyed the hum of the boat and the feeling of the wind in my hair. I was enjoying Sergei's company enough to want to continue the conversation.

"So, red leather, huh?"

Sergei turned off the terminal, and was adjusting his navigational computer. I was almost certain he ignored that question when he snickered to himself.

"We all need little things to pamper ourselves, Hakins." he replied, facing away from me but clearly amused. He continued.

"When life threatens to weigh down the weary workers of Orre," Sergei began, now turning to face me from the pilot seat. "We must grow beyond it! And through our work and effort, we find time to reward ourselves. Almost twenty years of freelance scavenging to afford this baby. So the next time you think about something you want, you'd better be willing to work for it, chuvak!"

Sergei suddenly stood up, arms at his hips. He gave me a smile.

"That is what I love about this region. It is brutal, yes. It is crawling with lowlives, yes. And it is very very hot, yes. But Orre has always given me back an equal amount to what I worked for. I can't really say the same about anywhere else I've been."

His lecture had distracted me to such a degree that I failed to notice the yellow fin poking out of the water, moving on pace with the speedboat from directly behind. As I sat admiring his wisdom, the creature jumped out of the water, sending mirrored droplets like a lens flare into the sky. Hearing it, I spun around and yelped in surprise, falling backwards on the boat. The Pokemon fell onto the fine sofa, wringing about wildly.

An odd feeling of excitement came over me. _I can catch this!_ I thought to myself, grabbing my bag and getting to my feet.

The boat was still moving at a decent speed, but I managed to stay balanced and retrieve a Poke Ball from my bag. Taking a deep breath to stem the excitement that was yelling for me to move, I took aim at the Pokemon. This was as good an opportunity as any. I counted to three in my head.

 _One._

The Pokemon began to tear aggressively at the red cushioning, sending material flying off the boat and into the deep ocean.

 _Two._

I envisioned how I could train this water Pokemon, and how I would grow close with this seemingly hateful creature.

Right as I got to three, and the ball was about to leave my hands, the hulking figure of Sergei came barreling into view. Sergei grunted with effort as he fought the Pokemon, which was large enough to where a bear hug was the only way to lock the creature in. The whole scene had me frozen with fear.

"You pesky Carvanha!" Sergei shouted, equally passionate, but feeling quite the opposite as seconds ago. "Coming onto _my_ boat? And leaving your mark on _my_ leather, you pest!"

Sergei somehow found a free arm while gripping Carvanha, whose skin was cutting Sergei everywhere as it thrashed. He used this freedom to pound the brutal Pokemon so hard that it did eventually slow down a bit. Landing a few more blows, Sergei spoke, still grappling the Pokemon.

"It's ok, Hakins. We'll just put this guy back into the ocean, so he can go bully some other unlucky sailors, ah?" He tried to laugh, but it came out as grunts as the brutal Pokemon continued to fight hard against him.

Sergei shifted towards the back of the boat, preparing to put Carvanha back into the water. He gave it a couple more punches, his knuckles being cut open on its Rough Skin. Even then, the wild Pokemon was not finished fighting. Aiming for the arm holding it back from causing more carnage, Carvanha bit down with incredible force, which could only have come from a Crunch. Sergei shouted out, kicking the Pokemon on reflex. By some miracle, the spherical Pokemon bounced off of the sofa and into the water, but not before inflicting one final gash into the leather seating. Sergei let out a battle cry, his ripped arms in full flex. His fight with nature was over, and he had won.

I finally snapped out of the trance that held me still. I immediately rushed over to Sergei, who was bleeding profusely. Given that his attire completely exposed his arms, he had a nasty gash from the main bite, along with a host of smaller cuts that were bleeding. I scrambled to grab something from my bag, but Sergei looked at me and shook his head. He looked longfully at his once pristine couch, now mostly torn down to the fibers. Something in his head snapped him back, though, and he took a deep breath. Upon exhaling, he plunged his arms into the saltwater, cringing under the clear pain. He looked at me.

"Nothing that the salt can't fix." he said, the words clearly hard for him to articulate.

"I'm sorry Sergei," I replied, guilt choking my words. "I should've been there to help. To make sure that you didn't get more hurt, I-"

"This leather was so expensive..." he interrupted, bringing his arms back up from the salt to run his hands, which were borderlining raw, over the torn fabric.

His eyes were laced with grief. The reaction was startling, so much so that the regret that had tensed my body released in seconds. I sighed deeply, taking note of this behavior for future interactions. My gaze drifted beyond the torn couch, and to the damaged guard railing on the back. Eventually noticing the scratches on the paint, I panicked.

"Hey Sergei!" I said a little too loudly, desperate to redirect his attention. He looked up at me, the wounds on his arms starting to leak blood again. Knowing I had a limited amount of time after saying that, I said the first thing that I could think of.

"The navigation seems to be acting weird. Didn't you feel like we were turning during that whole scuffle?"

Sergei scratched his beard, fishing out pieces of the Carvanha's sharp fin from its folds. Throwing them back into the ocean, he scratched his head.

"Well, we did have quite a scuffle, chuvak. It is a possibility. The processor for navigation is in the back of the boat here. Give me a moment…"

Sergei began to get to his feet. I choked on my words, and could not react fast enough. I watched in horror as Sergei reached to open the panel and gazed upon the scratches left in the paint. I got over to him as quickly as I could, only to realize that he had his hands tightly against the rails, laughing. Glad to see his reaction, I began to laugh too.

"Vicious thing scratched my paint," Sergei said, grinning. "Another scar from this fine battle."

I laughed as well, and then choked on my laughter as Sergei dropped onto the ground, grimacing.

"Sergei, come on! That thing's on auto pilot, right?" I shouted, rushing over to him.

"Yes, and the course is correct as well." Sergei replied. "There is some gauze in the storage compartment in my captain's chair. Be a good Comrade and grab it, would you?"

Using the railing as balance, I got to the chair and pulled it up, grabbing the medical gauze bouncing loosely around the inside. I passed it to Sergei, and he gave me a nod.

"You have my thanks. I can do the rest from here."

He gestured towards the seat that I was sitting in.

"You deserve a little rest, too. We'll be at Gateon Port soon."

The situation had become so strange that no reaction to it would make sense, so I just returned to the other swivelling seat next to the captain's chair, fishing out my PDA from my bag. I turned on the digital storage, and sent 4 of my Poke Balls there, to keep them safe.

I began to wonder how this whole situation would look to Dustin. _I'm sure he'll find this situation as ridiculous as I do,_ I thought, a small grin on my face.

My attention finally turned to my clothes. I scolded myself for making the "aesthetic" decision; my T-shirt was now soaked, and my water resistant shorts were the only thing that saved my phone. I sighed, zipping up my brown jacket, and opened up the contacts section on the PDA. I was both confused and happy when I saw my parents listed under it. As I began to ponder the implications of that, Sergei appeared in my peripheral, putting his now-wrapped arms over the top of my seat. I turned to him, and noted the calm in his eyes.

"Why are you playing with a PDA at a time like this?" he said, a smile now apparent. "Take a look ahead of you, Hakins."

I turned off the holographic screen, and behind it lay a landmass in the far distance. A lighthouse, a marble column dominating the skyline, marked the gateway. To its left, a metal crab stared blankly into city streets too far away to see. A shorter distance ahead, gathering boats small and charming dotted the water. The seaweed and other products taken from these waters would be shipped all over Orre. In the boat, I could smell the brine and salt exuding from the city. Gateon Port was in sight.

I stood up from my seat and stepped behind it, using the back of it to balance on the boat. I turned to Sergei.

"Hey, Sergei?" I started. He turned to me, and tapped on the speed adjuster. I nodded, and with a hearty laugh, he upped the speed.

"Off we go!" Sergei's laughter slowly dissipated as the sound of the engine began to cry, and then roar. We picked up speed, and I clutched the chair with my left arm, putting the PDA in my pocket with the right. Suddenly, my backpack, not being held by anything, flew out from its spot in front of the red seat. In a moment of blind reflex, I rotated my entire body to the right, grabbing its straps in midair. I put the straps over my shoulders, and let loose a holler as we sped towards Gateon Port, with the Traveller's Oasis beyond…


End file.
